Stanley Cup playoffs 2026: Bracket, schedule, scores, news

The 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs are upon us. Sixteen teams enter, one leaves with the greatest trophy in the world of sports.

With the back-to-back champion Florida Panthers outside the playoff field this season, that means there will be a new team atop the pedestal for the first time since 2023.

This page will be your home throughout the postseason, featuring schedule and broadcast details, scores, highlights and other intel on every series, updated continually through the Stanley Cup Final.

Read more:
Full schedule
Stanley Cup odds
Wyshynski's bracket
Offseason guide for eliminated teams

Conference finals round

Eastern Conference

M1 Carolina
Hurricanes
vs.

A3 Montreal
Canadiens

Path to the ECF:

Hurricanes: Defeated Senators in four games, Flyers in four games
Canadiens: Defeated Lightning in seven games, Sabres in seven games

Leading playoff scorers:

Hurricanes: Taylor Hall (3 G, 9 A, 12 P)
Canadiens: Lane Hutson (2 G, 11 A, 13 P)

Schedule (CAR leads 3-1):

Game 1: Canadiens 6, Hurricanes 2 | Recap | Grades
Game 2: Hurricanes 3, Canadiens 2 (OT) | Recap | Grades
Game 3: Hurricanes 3, Canadiens 2 (OT) | Recap | Grades
Game 4: Hurricanes 4, Canadiens 0 | Recap | Grades
Game 5: Canadiens at Hurricanes | May 29, 8 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 6*: Hurricanes at Canadiens | May 31, TBD (TNT)
Game 7*: Canadiens at Hurricanes | June 2, 8 p.m. ET (TNT)

Consensus pick: Hurricanes

play

Frederik Andersen makes big-time save for Hurricanes

Western Conference

C1 Colorado
Avalanche
vs.

P1 Vegas
Golden Knights

Path to the WCF:

Avalanche: Defeated Kings in four games, Wild in five games
Golden Knights: Defeated Mammoth in six games, Ducks in six games

Leading playoff scorers:

Avalanche: Nathan MacKinnon (7 G, 6 A, 13 P)
Golden Knights: Mitch Marner (7 G, 11 A, 18 P)

Schedule (VGK wins 4-0):

Game 1: Golden Knights 4, Avalanche 2 | Recap | Grades
Game 2: Golden Knights 3, Avalanche 1 | Recap | Grades
Game 3: Golden Knights 5, Avalanche 3 | Recap | Grades
Game 4: Golden Knights 2, Avalanche 1 | Recap | Grades

Keys to the offseason for the Avalanche

Consensus pick: Avalanche

play

Mark Stone lights the lamp first for the Golden Knights

Second round

Atlantic Division

A1 Buffalo
Sabres
vs.

A3 Montreal
Canadiens

Path to Round 2:

Sabres: Defeated Bruins in six games
Canadiens: Defeated Lightning in seven games

Leading playoff scorers:

Sabres: Alex Tuch (4 G, 3 A), Tage Thompson (2 G, 5 A)
Canadiens: Lane Hutson (2 G, 3 A), Nick Suzuki (0 G, 5 A)

Schedule (Series tied 3-3):

Game 1: Sabres 4, Canadiens 2 | Recap
Game 2: Canadiens 5, Sabres 1 | Recap
Game 3: Canadiens 6, Sabres 2 | Recap
Game 4: Sabres 3, Canadiens 2 | Recap
Game 5: Canadiens 6, Sabres 3 | Recap
Game 6: Sabres 8, Canadiens 3 | Recap
Game 7: Canadiens 3, Sabres 2 (OT) | Recap

Consensus pick: Sabres

Keys to the offseason for the Sabres

play

Alex Newhook scores winning goal for Canadiens in Game 7 OT thriller

Metropolitan Division

M1 Carolina
Hurricanes
vs.

M3 Philadelphia
Flyers

Path to Round 2:

Hurricanes: Defeated Senators in four games
Flyers: Defeated Penguins in six games

Leading playoff scorers:

Hurricanes: Taylor Hall (2 G, 5 A)
Flyers: Rasmus Ristolainen (1 G, 4 A)

Schedule (CAR wins 4-0):

Game 1: Hurricanes 3, Flyers 0 | Recap
Game 2: Hurricanes 3, Flyers 2 (OT) | Recap
Game 3: Hurricanes 4, Flyers 1 | Recap
Game 4: Hurricanes 3, Flyers 2 (OT) | Recap

Consensus pick: Hurricanes

Keys to the offseason for the Flyers

play

Jackson Blake scores OT winner for Canes to complete series sweep

Central Division

C1 Colorado
Avalanche
vs.

C3 Minnesota
Wild

Path to Round 2:

Avalanche: Defeated Kings in four games
Wild: Defeated Stars in six games

Leading playoff scorers:

Avalanche: Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon, Artturi Lehkonen (2 G, 2 A)
Wild: Matt Boldy (6 G, 3 A), Kirill Kaprizov (2 G, 7 A)

Schedule (COL wins 4-1):

Game 1: Avalanche 9, Wild 6 | Recap
Game 2: Avalanche 5, Wild 2 | Recap
Game 3: Wild 5, Avalanche 1 | Recap
Game 4: Avalanche 5, Wild 2 | Recap
Game 5: Avalanche 4, Wild 3 (OT) | Recap

Consensus pick: Avalanche

Keys to the offseason for the Wild

play

Brett Kulak's OT winner sends Avs to the Western Conference finals

Pacific Division

P1 Vegas
Golden Knights
vs.

P3 Anaheim
Ducks

Path to Round 2:

Golden Knights: Defeated Mammoth in six games
Ducks: Defeated the Oilers in six games

Leading playoff scorers:

Golden Knights: Jack Eichel (1 G, 8 A)
Ducks: Jackson LaCombe (1 G, 8 A)

Schedule (VGK wins 4-2):

Game 1: Golden Knights 3, Ducks 1 | Recap
Game 2: Ducks 3, Golden Knights 1 | Recap
Game 3: Golden Knights 6, Ducks 2 | Recap
Game 4: Ducks 4, Golden Knights 3 | Recap
Game 5: Golden Knights 3, Ducks 2 (OT) | Recap
Game 6: Golden Knights 5, Ducks 1 | Recap

Consensus pick: Golden Knights

Keys to the offseason for the Ducks

play

Pavel Dorofeyev nets his second of the game

First round

Atlantic Division

A1 Buffalo
Sabres
vs.

WC1 Boston
Bruins

Regular-season records:

Sabres: 50-23-9, 109 points
Bruins: 45-27-10, 100 points

Leading scorers:

Sabres: Tage Thompson (40 goals, 41 assists)
Bruins: David Pastrnak (29 goals, 71 assists)

Schedule (BUF wins 4-2):

Game 1: Sabres 4, Bruins 3 | Recap
Game 2: Bruins 4, Sabres 2 | Recap
Game 3: Sabres 3, Bruins 1 | Recap
Game 4: Sabres 6, Bruins 1 | Recap
Game 5: Bruins 2, Sabres 1 (OT) | Recap
Game 6: Sabres 4, Bruins 1 | Recap

Consensus pick: Sabres

Keys to the offseason for the Bruins

play

Zach Benson scores to extend Sabres' lead

A2 Tampa Bay
Lightning
vs.

A3 Montreal
Canadiens

Regular-season records:

Lightning: 50-26-6, 106 points
Canadiens: 48-24-10, 106 points

Leading scorers:

Lightning: Nikita Kucherov (44 goals, 86 assists)
Canadiens: Nick Suzuki (29 goals, 72 assists)

Schedule (MTL wins 4-3):

Game 1: Canadiens 4, Lightning 3 (OT) | Recap
Game 2: Lightning 3, Canadiens 2 (OT) | Recap
Game 3: Canadiens 3, Lightning 2 (OT) | Recap
Game 4: Lightning 3, Canadiens 2 | Recap
Game 5: Canadiens 3, Lightning 2 | Recap
Game 6: Lightning 1, Canadiens 0 (OT) | Recap
Game 7: Canadiens 2, Lightning 1 | Recap

Consensus pick: Lightning

play

Alex Newhook taps in a remarkable goal for Montreal

Metropolitan Division

M1 Carolina
Hurricanes
vs.

WC2 Ottawa
Senators

Regular-season records:

Hurricanes: 53-22-7, 113 points
Senators: 44-27-11, 99 points

Leading scorers:

Hurricanes: Sebastian Aho (27 goals, 53 assists)
Senators: Tim Stutzle (34 goals, 49 assists)

Schedule (CAR wins 4-0):

Game 1: Hurricanes 2, Senators 0 | Recap
Game 2: Hurricanes 3, Senators 2 (OT) | Recap
Game 3: Hurricanes 2, Senators 1 | Recap
Game 4: Hurricanes 4, Senators 2 | Recap

Consensus pick: Hurricanes

Keys to the offseason for the Senators

play

Taylor Hall's goal gets Hurricanes on the board

M2 Pittsburgh
Penguins
vs.

M3 Philadelphia
Flyers

Regular-season records:

Penguins: 41-25-16, 98 points
Flyers: 43-27-12, 98 points

Leading scorers:

Penguins: Sidney Crosby (29 goals, 45 assists)
Flyers: Travis Konecny (27 goals, 41 assists)

Schedule (PHI wins 4-2):

Game 1: Flyers 3, Penguins 2 | Recap
Game 2: Flyers 3, Penguins 0 | Recap
Game 3: Flyers 5, Penguins 2 | Recap
Game 4: Penguins 4, Flyers 2 | Recap
Game 5: Penguins 3, Flyers 2 | Recap
Game 6: Flyers 1, Penguins 0 (OT) | Recap

Consensus pick: Penguins

Keys to the offseason for the Penguins

play

Cam York's laser finish gives Flyers OT win to clinch series

Central Division

C1 Colorado
Avalanche
vs.

WC2 Los Angeles
Kings

Regular-season records:

Avalanche: 55-16-11, 121 points
Kings: 35-27-20, 90 points

Leading scorers:

Avalanche: Nathan MacKinnon (53 goals, 74 assists)
Kings: Adrian Kempe (36 goals, 37 assists)

Schedule (COL wins 4-0):

Game 1: Avalanche 2, Kings 1 | Recap
Game 2: Avalanche 2, Kings 1 (OT) | Recap
Game 3: Avalanche 4, Kings 2 | Recap
Game 4: Avalanche 5, Kings 1 | Recap

Consensus pick: Avalanche

Keys to the offseason for the Kings

play

Cale Makar doubles Colorado's lead with near-post goal

C2 Dallas
Stars
vs.

C3 Minnesota
Wild

Regular-season records:

Stars: 50-20-12, 112 points
Wild: 46-24-12, 104 points

Leading scorers:

Stars: Jason Robertson (45 goals, 51 assists)
Wild: Kirill Kaprizov (45 goals, 44 assists)

Schedule (MIN wins 4-2):

Game 1: Wild 6, Stars 1 | Recap
Game 2: Stars 4, Wild 2 | Recap
Game 3: Stars 4, Wild 3 (2OT) | Recap
Game 4: Wild 3, Stars 2 (OT) | Recap
Game 5: Wild 4, Stars 2 | Recap
Game 6: Wild 5, Stars 2 | Recap

Consensus pick: Wild

Keys to the offseason for the Stars

play

Quinn Hughes scores again to put Wild ahead in 3rd

Pacific Division

P1 Vegas
Golden Knights
vs.

WC1 Utah
Mammoth

Regular-season records:

Golden Knights: 39-26-17, 95 points
Mammoth: 43-33-6, 92 points

Leading scorers:

Golden Knights: Jack Eichel (27 goals, 63 assists)
Mammoth: Clayton Keller (26 goals, 62 assists)

Schedule (VGK wins 4-2):

Game 1: Golden Knights 4, Mammoth 2 | Recap
Game 2: Mammoth 3, Golden Knights 2 | Recap
Game 3: Mammoth 4, Golden Knights 2 | Recap
Game 4: Golden Knights 5, Mammoth 4 (OT) | Recap
Game 5: Golden Knights 5, Mammoth 4 (2OT) | Recap
Game 6: Golden Knights 5, Mammoth 1 | Recap

Consensus pick: Golden Knights

Keys to the offseason for the Mammoth

play

Mitch Marner's second goal gives Golden Knights commanding lead

P2 Edmonton
Oilers
vs.

P3 Anaheim
Ducks

Regular-season records:

Oilers: 41-30-11, 93 points
Ducks: 43-33-6, 92 points

Leading scorers:

Oilers: Connor McDavid (48 goals, 86 assists)
Ducks: Cutter Gauthier (41 goals, 28 assists)

Schedule (ANA wins 4-2):

Game 1: Oilers 4, Ducks 3 | Recap
Game 2: Ducks 6, Oilers 4 | Recap
Game 3: Ducks 7, Oilers 4 | Recap
Game 4: Ducks 4, Oilers 3 (OT) | Recap
Game 5: Oilers 4, Ducks 1 | Recap
Game 6: Ducks 5, Oilers 2 | Recap
Consensus pick: Oilers

Keys to the offseason for the Oilers

play

Leo Carlsson's empty-netter secures the Ducks' series win over Oilers